Corby climbing centre bid will continue despite cash shortfall

Stephanie Weaver

The team hoping to build a climbing centre in Corby have vowed to continue their efforts despite missing their funding target.

The Corby Climbing Centre crowdfunding campaign has now ended following its three-day extension and even with lots of local support, they finished below the target.

They raised £49,400 from 214 backers, and had 9,614 people visit the project page.

They fell short of the required target by £25,600, but the team behind the project say they have been overwhelmed by the amount of support from the public and local business networks.

Director Susanne Rees said: “We couldn’t have got this far without the immense amount of support from local businesses, the Northants search and rescue team, our sponsors, pledgers, and key individuals who have donated their time and expertise.

“We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”

Despite the set-back, the team has already started actioning its back-up plan.

Head of business development, Gerard Scully said: “The great thing about crowdfunding is that it opens so many doors.

“We are now 100 per cent confident this centre will be built, we are now working out the details of when.

“Most of our business sponsors have agreed to honour their pledges which will be extremely beneficial to our match funding applications.

“Now we need to continue to show the level of support we have, we’ll likely have a survey coming next week.”

The Corby Climbing Centre will be home to more than 6000 sq ft of bouldering walls, open to the public and catering for absolute beginners and advanced climbers alike.

The centre will not only provide a public facility for all ages and abilities, but it will also be reinvesting it’s profits back to offer social programmes to a wider population, invest in grassroots paraclimbing, deaf climbing, and support community events.

The organisation creating this community project is Northamptonshire based award-winning social enterprise, iDID Adventure, who have worked tirelessly to improve access to adventure sports for deaf and disabled people.

The centre is iDID’s business development project that will allow them to become financially sustainable.

Susanne added: “We’ve been overwhelmed by how many people have asked us to keep their money, it’s been really moving.

“We’ve now set up a fundraising page for those who wish to honour their pledges, we’ll also honour any pledges on rewards, made through crowdfunder, when we open.”

If you would still like to donate to the campaign, or transfer your pledge, go to www.gofundme.com/corbyclimbingcentr.

For more details go to www.facebook.com/corbyclimbingcentre or follow them at twitter.com/corbyclimbing.

iDID Adventure is a social enterprise improving well-being, confidence and self-esteem through access and participation in adventure sports.